The present invention, Colocasia ‘Maximus Gigante’, relates to a new and distinct interspecific hybrid of Colocasia, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Maximus Gigante’. ‘Maximus Gigante’ is a new tropical plant used as a landscape and container plant in tropical and subtropical areas.
The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Louisville, Ky. The overall purpose of the breeding program is to make selections of Colocasia plants that are colorful and well suited for landscape or container growth. ‘Maximus Gigante’ arose from a cross make in August of 2012 between an unnamed plant of Colocasia esculenta×gaoligongensis (not patented) as the female parent and an unnamed plant of Leucocasia gigantea plant (not patented) as the male parent. ‘Maximus Gigante’ was selected as a single unique plant in July of 2013 from amongst the seedlings derived from the above cross.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by in vitro propagation, specifically meristematic cell tissue culture, under the direction of the Inventor in Eustis, Fla. in February of 2014. Asexual propagation by in vitro propagation has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.